"You Will Not Exalt Her"
When we came to Water of Life Church in 1985, shortly thereafter was when we first heard about the Jezebel spirit, and what an 'eye opener' it was. I had never even heard of this spirit, and for sure had not read about the woman 'Jezebel' in the book of Kings. But as Doyle would share about this spirit, and the many facets that this spirit has and the different ways it operates, God would deliver my heart from the works of this spirit in my own life. And the more God was delivering my heart from this spirit - the more clearly I could see it. (Matthew 7:5 says this.) As I have shared before, if you cannot see this spirit in yourself, you for sure could not see it anywhere else. But one thing I had heard him say was how this spirit would exalt a woman, and put a man down. (On numerous occasions Doyle has said things by the Spirit, that when he would speak them, immediately it was like my eyes were opened right then and there and what he would be saying would be so plain and clear.) What I came to see is that this spirit will do this even to small kids, and I am going to share with you how it started with Travis.
When Travis was in kindergarten, the Jezebel (out of his teacher) started telling us how immature Travis was (but this was normal for boys to be this way), and he was a little slow in learning and that we should have him repeat kindergarten. We knew this was not right and did not do it. First grade came, and the same thing was being said, second grade, and so forth. We kept fighting this in the spirit because we knew it was the Jezebel spirit telling us all these things. One thing I knew, and that the Lord would minister to me, was that in Genesis God made man and called him good, not slow - not immature - not dumb, so I kept believing this gospel and fighting these wicked spirits that were trying to put him down. But when he was in the second grade, we had gone to the parent-teacher conference, (they usually have this twice a year - in the fall right after school starts, and then in the spring before school is out) and the spirit in this teacher was so strong, she absolutely had me convinced that we should have him repeat second grade. We walked out of there and I told JR maybe we should do this. But up out of his heart he said something, I forget exactly what it was - except it was the spirit of God in his mouth, and then I knew immediately that the spirit in this teacher had seduced my faith. It did not take me two seconds until I pushed that spirit off and I could sense faith in my heart again. These are wicked spirits that will come to seduce you from the faith (I Timothy 4:1), and they will try to take you over before you know it. But if you will continue to believe that Jesus died, was buried and rose again, you can overcome them every time.
By the time Travis was in fourth grade we had overcome this spirit enough to the point that God gave him a teacher that had a really good spirit about her, and I did thank God for her. She told us that Travis was doing really well, although he did like to talk a little too much during class, but that it was not a problem. When she would say his name and tell him to be quiet, he would always do it and he was very polite. I shared with her how we were Christians and how we had believed God for Travis because all of his teachers from kindergarten through third grade had tried to get us to put him back because they said he was a slow learner and his grades were not the best, and so forth. She was amazed and found that hard to believe. She told us that academically he was doing very well and was a smart kid, and other than having to call his name to tell him to stop talking sometimes, there was no problem with him at all. After the war we had been in with these strong spirited (Jezebel) teachers he had previously had, I knew now that we were finally overcoming. There were a few more years after that one that we still had to fight and believe the gospel in this situation, but his grades started coming up quite a bit (he became, and still is, an 'A and B' student!) and he started taking alot more interest in school work. (So believing this gospel was paying off, and we were seeing the results of it!) What those spirits were trying to do, was to destroy him. If you ever agree with them, you will see those exact things take place that they are saying to you, but if you will believe the power that raised Jesus from the dead, you will see the salvation of God come through for you in every situation. And this is what started happening because of the power of God working and judging those 'lying' spirits in his teacher's mouths.
About nine years ago, when Amy was six years old and at the end of her kindergarten year, (the same school grade when the Jezebel started in on Travis), we received a letter in the mail from her school. In this letter it stated that she had been nominated as a candidate to be interviewed for enrolling in a 'gifted and talented' academy in Garland. At the time, I had not even heard such a school existed. But as I continued reading this letter, up out of my spirit came, "This is the Jezebel, and you will not exalt her!" All through her school years this Jezebel was always 'exalting' her - just the opposite of what it had done to Travis. I could see so clearly how this spirit was operating - just as Doyle had described it a few years before. In the flesh, I am sure I would have thought this was great for Amy and been so 'proud' of her. And I would have been upset about Travis, and would have helped him as much as I could, but would have thought he just was a 'slow' learner - which would have been the Jezebel! But I was not in the flesh, thank God, I was walking in the Spirit of God, and that is why I could so easily 'discern' what this spirit was doing with both of them.
Last year, when Amy was in eighth grade, we received a letter for Amy to be in the National Junior Honor Society - these spirits sometimes do not want to give up! But JR called and talked with her counselor and shared with her where we were coming from, and that we did not believe this was right for Amy to be in it, that we wanted God's honor only for Amy - not man's. She called back again and wanted to be sure that Amy was not going to be in this - because, after all, this was considered a high honor by some. He assured her again that this was not right for Amy to be in, and she said she understood. (JR said she was not contentious at all - just doing her job, and as she had implied, it was unusual for this type of honour on a student to be turned down).
In John 5:44 it says, "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" You know, if you want man's honour, you do not believe God - it is that simple. Many years back God spoke this to me about my own life, and what He was telling me was that I was not believing Him. And my heart changed right then and there. I am so grateful to the Lord and for His mercy upon our lives in bringing us to a place where an apostle of God could speak the truth to us, and God could open our blind eyes to see the different ways this spirit operates in the world. (In I Peter it says to be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour - and to resist him steadfast in the faith.) This Jezebel spirit can be so subtle, and make you think something is God, when in fact, it is the devil himself. There may be people who might think it was God honoring Amy, but God will share His glory (honour) with no flesh. It reminds me of when I hear (so called) Christians say that God uses doctors and medicine; but the power of God and medicine do not merge at all. And it is no different with man's honour and God's - the two do not mix - one is flesh, the other is the Spirit. In I Corinthians 1:29 it says that no flesh should glory (boast) in His presence. When God opens your blind eyes, you can clearly see how in this walk it is either God or nothing. God will share his glory (honour) with no flesh. I Peter 1 says that the glory (honour) of man is as the flower of grass - it withereth away, but the Word of the Lord endureth forever.
I thank God for the love of God in our lives, because love does not rejoice in iniquity, but love rejoiceth in the truth. (And love recognizes the difference between the Spirit of God and a lie.) Jesus died, was buried, went to hell and rose again the third day is the truth. And in believing that, all unrighteousness will be exposed in our lives and the truth of God will shine forth. God is coming back after a people that are walking in the truth and seeking His honour only - and those are the one's who believe Him!
Well, praise God, and I will be back later with more on the power of the resurrected Christ.
June 20, 2008 4:25 PM Lisa, I remember this testimony very well. I rejoiced when this happened, and I rejoice now. I thank God your testimonies are back. Doyle
